Sentries on the wall first saw a trail of dust, then the rider, then identified him as one of Friblip’s patrol. Sensing the urgency of the moment, the duty sergeant was notified, who in turn had word sent to Sturn. Sergeant Hennq followed the new SOP and had extra archers over the bridge, and placed himself and a guard at the gate itself, awaiting the rider, who’d not slowed.

The scout’s horse reared up as the rider pulled back hard on the reigns. Once the steed had settled the soldier jumped down and called out, nearly breathlessly, the response code word for the day – even before the sergeant had issued the challenge. A moment passed while both sides appraised, and then recognized one another – the rider was Corporal Mulbury, due back with Lt. Friblip’s patrol late the next day. He looked exhausted, and his horse was lathered and started to wander as if dazed.

“I’ve news! The sorcerer – Atiasi – lives! We found him wandering in the wastes at the limits of our patrol!”

Sergeant Hennq turned to the soldier next to him. “Send the news, man!” Knowing exactly what that meant, the young trooper ran back into the keep, dodging others as he made his way to the central halls, where the World Class Wrecking Crew had their offices and suites.

After the past two weeks securing the citadel and reinforcing its defenses, the surrounding city of Citadel Drezen still remains in a state of ruin (-60RP). Luckily, Irabeth brought not only reinforcements but also those willing and able to help rebuild. Artisans, engineers, merchants, suppliers, a litany of souls needed to maintain a town. Building it up over the course of the next few months would be ideal as this will be your base of operations for the foreseeable future. For those who have the time, please follow the downtime rules here.

construct building – 1RP per 500gp value of completed building
craft magic/mundane item – 1RP per 1000gp value of finished item
donating gold – 1RP per 2000gp
heal others – 1 RP per day spent doing so
recruit for organization – 1RP per 500gp value of completed organization

Downtime Boons:
Anevia Tirablade – +4 checks to gather information
Aravashnail – reduce cost/time to craft magic items by 5%
Aron Kir – generates 5 units of labor a day
Horgus Gwerm – generates 5 units of goods per day (inactive)
Irabeth Tirablade – generates 3 units of influence a day
Sosiel Vaenic – generates 1 unit of magic per day
Nurah Dendiwhar – ???

Jestak and Johran have no bonuses

It was hinted that the forge could be exorcised and realigned as to redeem ‘evil’ items. A successful Knowledge check DC 35 (arcana or religion) is required to begin the process. Johan provides the notes from his brother which instill a +10 bonus to this check.

Once determined, at least one person involved in the redemption must have craft magic arms and armour, craft wondrous item, or master craftsman. The process also requires the casting of a hallow spell each day. Success of DC 35 spellcraft or religion over the course of three days is needed. Failure provides a +1 bonus to the next check.

Once the Purity Forge is created, it can rework evil weapons into an analogue good equivalent. Spellcasting or cost requirements for realignment are ignored. Time to complete is a quarter of actual. The final redemption check is spellcraft or religion check against 5 + item’s caster level.

Irabeth was tasked in handing the letter with the royal seal to the Heroes of Kenabres, Liberators of Drezen. The journey north was difficult but the supplies and reinforcements were needed and long delayed. She was there to be the new commander of the citadel, a task that bore responsibility she felt unready, undeserving to hold. The past few weeks of hurried reconstruction at Kenabres seemed ill suited as qualifications for Derzen. Regardless, she was glad to see the heroes once again, although they seemed to have lost one of their own. A bittersweet greetings exchanged, she handed over the Queen’s orders…

Heroes now Liberators,

Words cannot convey gratitude for what you have done. The battle is won but the war goes on. Surely you realize the liberation of Drezen means much for our spirits and our hopes. It is the first in many steps you are poised to take in ending the demon’s presence, none but you can make. Use Drezen as a base of operations, set out and explore the Marchlands to the south and west for anything that can be used against the demons. Your experience on the frontlines has doubtlessly already led to several points of investigation. The constant drum of war has left our ears silent of the demon’s plans. Do not hesitate to consult with those I have sent north with you, their history and legend.

The word of your seeds of success has already started spreading and I can see it in both the eyes of the crusader and commoner. Each does their part with renewed vigor and morale. Our increased tenacity along the southern boarder should keep the eyes of the demon lords away from your activities allowing you time to investigate behind enemy lines. Leave the administrative activities to Irabeth and guide her with the knowledge you uncover. I will look forward to the progress and fear not the plans of our enemy, the blessing of our gods is upon you.

-Galfrey

The 2WC (pronounced “2-dub-see”) spent the better part of the day, after having rested within a secure chamber deep in the castle, clearing out the rest of the infernal resistance. In hall after chamber after secret room they met and defeated hordes of demons, infernal minions, spawns of hell, infernal fanboys, barbarian scum, and a few more fallen paladins.

In every case the coordination of arms and spell – Havik’s control of the battlefield accompanied by the brute force of Sturn and Gnarl, followed up with Jaroo’s zoo of animal forms and Ute’s spells – fixed foes in place and enabled the righteous war band to destroy them.

They shut down a forge used to taint magic weapons, and destroyed the union work crew of salamanders manning it. They tracked down a vicious vampire jailer and destroyed him, too. Nothing could withstand their traveling road show of badassity.

In the end, in the deepest vault under the keep, in what seemed like the dusts of hell lurked the blackest of hates – for he whom they feared awaited them. Or, at least, the demon thought they feared him. Despite Gnarl’s moment of domination when he tried to kill Sturn, all went as planned. The infernal scumpuppy was slapped around like a rag doll, tried to run away, was cornered, and in a moment of poetic justice – after Sturn had softened him up enough – he was dealt the killing blow by Gnarl, the one he’d attempted to control.

The banner was recovered and Sturn, enlarged and bursting with the spirit of Iomedae, waved it from the parapets for all to see, leading to a complete rout of what was left of the pathetic demonic host.

And that, children, is how you delouse a castle.

Xanthir was not impressed. The wizard held the prisoner’s chin up with his writhing hand. Worms shuddered and modelled their bodies around to form a shape to cup the jaw. The wizard turned the skull left then right upon inspection. There exist a resemblance but obviously the talent was lacking. He dropped the prisoner’s head, his wormed had returning to a nub, as the guards took the incapacitated mage to his cell. Xanthir stood in the hall looking at the book and the staff, items of far more interest to himself than their previous owner.

A loud thud and jolt of pain awoke Atiasi. Sharp memories began to filter into his consciousness as he recalled his state of being. He was at once in Drezen then not. He was twisted and bound along a bumpy road then not. Even the sensation of flight filled the murky void of his travel. All moot as he bounded over the ground to lay flat and look at his bleak surroundings. Cold and dry, the cell floor reminded him. the smell of alchemical solutions drifted in the air from outside the room. The cell was small, devoid of furnishings, and without doors. Only a set of small iron bars existed in inky blackness. The thought to cast light was quickly dashed; his hands were bound. Focusing on the walls surrounding, glyphs began to appear. Wards of abjuration likely he quipped. The immediate thought of having been in worst situations justified the mage’s optimised mood. Until he could think of none worse. He was sore with headache and an aching back most unusual. Summing up what he had, Atiasi was surprised by what he did not have, the staff and his family heirloom.

After an action packed night of fiendish minotaurs, babus, succubi, and short evil hairy faced dwarves the wizard’s new party seemed interested in interrogating the two lone survivors of the party’s onslaught. Not yet involved in whatever quest the group was hellbent on, Havik stepped back, listened and pilfered the bodies of their fallen enemies. Most specifically the stinking carcass of the evil dwarf, whose stench was only marginally worse than the majority of the other dwarves the elven wizard had encountered in his long lived days.

A few moments later there sat the elf, pulling up the items one by one and doing his best to discern the properties of each, setting them in one of two piles once he had finished. Some were quite easy to discern their magical properties, others not so much. Once everyone had finished their conversation on betrayals and the possibility of allowing the evil dwarf to be given a proper burial Havik began explaining each of the properties of the items they had found. “Gather round, gather round my sturdy compatriots and let me tell you what I have found!” the elf spoke in his usual mildly entertaining tone of jest and lightheartedness. “First we have here a throwing axe, so sharp you can shave with it and no matter how many times you try you cannot lose it!” a cheeky grin spread across his elven lips as he demonstrated the items abilities and threw it with all his minuscule might at a bare spot on the wall. Shortly after the item clanked to the ground harmlessly it whisked itself back into his possession.
He went through each of the items he had been able to identify taking an especially keen interest when he demonstrated the jeweled belt which he claimed was especially well suited for a wizard who had proven themselves multiple times in the fury of battle.

After he had explained all the items he had quickly identified he explained that the other items were quite elusive and he would have to spend more time studying them, which he intended to do just before he entered his meditations.

META
Identified Items

• +1 Returning Throwing Axe
• Amulet of Natural Armor +2
• Belt of Mighty Constitution +4
• Headband of Alluring Charisma +2

Unidentified Items

• A thrice magicked set of spiked mail
• A strange soul spear

Ryan please correct me if any information is incorrect

The WCWC, after taking the barbarian woman’s sword and apprising her of her limited rights as a POW, pressed the attack out onto the open-air wall top. Four fire-engulfed short demons stood in their way, and were quickly dispatched – one of them directly over the wall by a mighty blow from Gnarl.

Next it was down a set of stairs into a supposed ‘interrogation area,’ where they encountered the phantasm of a succubus, whose ham-handed attempts at being both alluring and intimidating were met with indifference. If there was one things demons could guarantee it was consistency in their behavior and attitudes. Onward the pressed, chasing after Jaroo, who’d transformed into a giant snake and seemed spooked by the B’thuvian Demon Whore, and into another chamber. Recognizing the threat before any others, Havik cast a burst of blinding light into the room, staggering three of the four creeps, all of whom had been hiding in ambush. The team rushed onward, filling the chamber with the sounds steel biting infernal flesh, spurred on by Sturn’s cries to “…up the action, mates!”

Next on the list was a large, squarish chamber, which was home to four hulking fiendish minotaurs. Havik, proving his worth again, tied down two of them with black, grasping tentacles that sprouted from the stone floor. As an added bonus, he’d enlarged by Sturn and Gnarl, who both used their increased size and reach to hammer home the displeasure the team had with the fiends, dispatching them in short order.

Finally they made their way into a chamber that was home to several Babu demons, two nasty evil dwarves, and one traitorous halfling, who was cut down by the lead dwarf just as the team bashed through the doors. Again, Havik tied down the majority of the enemies with black tentacles and the others squeezed into the room and began beating on those closest to the doorway. The dwarf leader broke free and moved to attack; Jaroo, in dire wolf form, was knocked out, and the combination of axe, hammer, sword and spell quickly wore away at the enemies, finally dropping the leader and demons, leaving the other dwarf – brother of the leader – and the dead halfling.

Sturn, remembering his promises to the wretched little pill of a thief of redemption, used the silver dragon scale to resurrect the woman, and learned that his hunch about her having opened some of the doors within the keep – and thus paving the way for them to advance so quickly – was correct. Truly, the blessings of Iomedae were beyond comprehension, enabling such a fallen soul to find the strength to walk in the light.

The team, being depleted of spells and energy, decided to barricade themselves in the highly defensible chamber and rest, breaking out some trail rations and water, and eating the Muenster cheese block Sturn had carried with him. They’d be fully rested and energized for what they believed to be the final push to rid the keep of the demonic squatters.

And that barbarian chick acquitted herself okay, too, having taken up her sword to attack the dwarf, and without a hint of turning on the team – no “I brought them to you master” garbage from her. Perhaps she, too, felt the cleansing call of Iomedae. Sturn would see that she had the encouragement and support needed to make the decision – and then it would be left to her, as it was to all.

The crack of stored kenetic energy exploded the large timber forward into the crowded battle below. Belted orders from the benalish commander did not make the tieflings move any quicker, aim any better, or feel any confidence in their ultimate fate. The paladins had routed all outside defenses and were at the gatehouse. Fear mixed with anger filled their hearts as they understood their demon masters lacked any form of mercy. The commander herself could not shake the feeling either. She turned to the halfling spy who stood observing the western garrison for report. “I do not understand these vermin!” the commander shouted. “The paladins sir?” replied the rogue. “It’s our own units. How does Lord Vhane expect us to repel the onslaught with scurvy trite?!” Frustration took over the barbarian. “Perhaps we are meant to fail Jestak. We are pawns for sacrifice in the bigger scheme. They choose to sacrifice us to save themselves. Maybe we can use the same reasoning to save our own hides.” The wry suggestion from the halfling spy did not fall on deaf ears as she left with her report. Jestak was too furious to acknowledge though as just then a tiefling failed to set the bolt correctly, dropping the projectile at the feet of the barbarian commander. Fury and rage began to manifest. In perfect fashion, the flunky enemy soldier was lifted up and over the parapet and fell below onto a knight with second hand armor.

Nurah was unsure what insurrection she was mounting. Quickly she passed between the darken corridors to see Staunton, but for what reasons. The back side of the castle was quite and stood in contrast to the battle up front. The modifications being made by Dwarven hands stood frozen in time as large stones still riddled the halls. Shadows and silhouettes moved in the corner. She flinched as four Thoxel’s stood in the officers yard. Approaching them, she could hear the tongues under their beaks salivate at her flesh. Only a small string of command kept them from eating her alive. She wondered if this was her fate, to grow out of the larvae into this sort of demonic beast. Human like but with avian beaks and bald, tortured flesh. Reporting to who ever was the mother hen at the time. Would it be much like now? The Halfling spy navigated pass the gaggle , over cracked stone, and into the officer chambers with haste.

Years after the liberation of Drezen by the World Class Wrecking Crew and their armies, long after the keep had undergone extensive renovations and repairs, it has become a destination of choice for travelers and pilgrims. People from across Golarion come to see the places where the war against the demons was fought, and where the tide was turned, and perhaps to feel closer to the heroes who’d done the fighting. Tours are given daily at 10am and 2pm. Tickets can be purchased at the Front Gate, and tours begin on the bridge promptly at the scheduled time.

---

“That’s right – that was where Sturn rallied the Crew against the ghouls,” the guide said to the young boy, who was nearly attached to the man’s hip, so enraptured by the tales of battle and heroism.

“Ladies and gentlemen, if you’d move to your left as you fill the room – that’s right, go all the way to the far wall so there’s enough room for everyone,” the man said, a little louder this time, as he addressed the stream of people slowing flowing into the chapel. Positioning himself in front of the dais, which was to his left, he waited until everyone was in the room. The group, of about 20, stretched from the entryway to the back wall, with a few people standing forward of the wall, at the edges of the pews.

“After Atiasi disappeared, the Crew reunited with Jaroo and pressed forward into this chapel, which you can see was originally dedicated to Iomedae,” he said as he gestured toward the front wall, on which there was a partially-damaged icon of the goddess. “The church decided to not repair some of the damage, in order to show future generations the depths to which the demon hordes and their followers stooped when they controlled the keep. You can see stains from the soiling and blood here and here,” he pointed, “and again the gouges we’ve seen elsewhere, where they tried to destroy the base-reliefs and frescoes.”

The guide went on for a few minutes about how the demons had vandalized and sought to desecrate the temple, which was now restored, fielding a few questions about art and architecture along the way.

“Now, the real importance of this room is much greater than the art – we all know this from the histories,” he said, changing his tone to a more solemn one.

“When the Crew entered this chapel they found – right here – a succubus and four of her fallen crusader followers, engaged in some fell ritual…” he said, just before being cut off by the boy who’d asked him about the ghouls earlier.

“Wasn’t she disguised as the goddess? And didn’t Jaroo turn into a wind storm here?” he interjected excitedly. His mother, embarrassed, tried to quietly shssh him, but he got out both questions before being silenced.

The guide chuckled and gave his signature upside-down Bill Clinton smile before responding. “Yes, that’s exactly what happened – you know your history well, young man!” he said before giving another well-rehearsed chuckle while thinking ‘stupid brat’s going to steal my thunder…this is my tour!’

“Yes, he’s quite right. The succubus had used her demonic powers to disguise herself and dominate the wills of several crusaders, but truth to be told, we all know that true knights of Iomedae would have known, deep inside, that this was not their goddess. No, this was another example of warriors choosing the wrong side in order to save their own skins, instead of standing up for what’s right,” after which he paused and nodded, furrowing his brow as if in deep thought. The group followed suit.

“The Crew had no such issues. As we know it, Jaroo took the form of a whirlwind and fixed the demon in place while the others rushed into the room and attacked both her and her followers. The fight was quick and decisive, and gave the Crew a little breathing room, and time to search the chapel. Dwarves, as well all know, are famous for a few things their knowledge of stonework and their…interest…in jewels and money,” he said, ending those last words with a wry smile, which evoked knowing chuckles from the group.

“And so they searched this very room for anything of value, or hidden chambers…” he said as he started moving around, as if to search the room himself. “Sometimes hidden chambers are accessed through doors merely covered by something obvious….like a pew,” he said as he dramatically pushed aside one bench, revealing only a stone floor. He shook his head as if frustrated by not finding anything. By this point he’d moved to the back wall and was feeling around the stones, moving his fingers in the way that, he imagined, a master rogue might do when looking for a secret door.

“Maybe here…no…or…” he said, as if losing himself in the real work of seeking a secret button or lever. The group fell silent, completely taken in by his theatrics. “There….” he said at last, pushing a concealed button, which in turn opened a secret door.

“Right here is where they found that very coffin, in which was locked Havic, the elven wizard,” he said as he moved into the newly-opened chamber. For the next few minutes he recounted the tale of how they’d rescued and became acquainted with the wizard, and then fought a mimic in the next room, and recovered some really great armor.

The group eventually filed out of the small side chambers and down some halls outside of the chapel, leading them into the barracks, where the guide went on to describe the awful carnage wrought by Flun’kay the Kellid Barbarian woman on her own troops. He took great delight in describing the horrific treatment that demons’ minions showed to each other, making sure to drive home the moral dimension of the tour.

“…So this is where Sturn again showed both the mercy and justice of Iomedae to an enemy, and the Crew maintained their own moral foundations, while still relentlessly pressing the fight deeper into demon territory,” the guide explained as they finished their stop in the large barracks room.

“Now as we move into the next room, you’ll notice to your right…”